Organizers of Coverings 2010 are offering tile and stone
contractors and installers more than 40 educational sessions during the show
(April 27-30, in Orlando, FL). Topics will range from how to boost
profits in a challenging economy to the latest innovations in installation
methods and materials.
The 2010
schedule spans a wide spectrum of subjects, with a particular focus on tactics
and strategies contractors and installers can use to help to bolster their
bottom line in the current economic environment. This year’s featured session,
“The Seven Steps to Closing a Profitable Sale,” will offer techniques to help
contractors and other industry professionals generate greater profits by
differentiating their products in the marketplace, thus increasing gross
margins in the process. The session, led by Bob Langdon, CPA and author of Managing
Your Business for Profit, will commence the conference programming Tuesday
morning, April 27. Later in the day, Langdon will also present “Inventory
Management and Pricing Strategies,” a guide to growing personal wealth by
achieving a higher return on investment.
Jim Olson,
of the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA), a Coverings sponsor, will
present, along with John Cox of Cox Tile, “The NTCA Reference Manual: A Look at
the New Business Section of this Important Resource.” NTCA collaborated with
Coverings in developing the conference schedule for this key industry segment.
James Woelfel, technical committee chairman of the NTCA, will join Nyle
Wadford, the association’s second vice president, to moderate “The NTCA
Contractors Forum: Frequent Topics Commonly Shared Over the Internet,” which
will examine the countless benefits of the internet for contractors, and key
issues that are influencing the industry.
Returning
to Coverings for the third year is the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF)
Certification Program, an intensive 4-1/2 day series for professional
installers that includes hands-on skills testing and will yield the industry’s
only standards-based accreditation. Enrollment for this program is limited;
application to participate must be made to CTEF. However, for those who want to
learn more about it and hear first-hand testimonials on the benefits of
certification, plan on attending “It Pays to Be Certified.” CTEF executive
director Scott Carothers will lead this session and be joined by several
program graduates who will discuss their experiences.
“We're
thrilled to again offer contractors and installers, and all of our attendees,
high-quality, timely programming full of valuable lessons they can apply to
their own businesses,” said Jennifer Hoff, president of client events for
National Trade Productions, which manages and produces Coverings. “The
conference sessions continue to be a standout element of Coverings, and we’re
proud to present a program that reflects our ongoing investment in this
singular facet of the show.”
The
schedule features plenty of other topical sessions. As green issues continue to
remain top-of-mind across the industry, the roster includes a variety of
programming on the subject, such as “Green Residential Flooring Trends,” which
will showcase the best new green flooring products; “Using Tile in Your Next
Green Building Project,” a guide to understanding environmental ratings
systems; and “Stone in Green Building: Moving the Stone Industry Towards
Sustainability,” a three-hour “crash course” workshop. There are also plenty of
“how-to” sessions delving into the latest dispatches from the installation and
technology frontlines. Seminars like “Field Update: Large Format Tile Façade
Systems,” “Recent Developments in Sound Reduction Membranes,” and “Exterior
Stone Adhered Veneer Standards-An Industry Update” will arm attendees with the
information they need to know to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly
competitive business environment.
Coverings
is sponsored by ASCER (Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association of Spain),
Confindustria Ceramica (Italian Association of Ceramics), Tile Council of North
America (TCNA), Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (CTDA), and National Tile
Contractors Association (NTCA).
For more
information on attending or exhibiting at Coverings 2010, visit
www.coverings.com or contact NTP, Coverings Show Management, at (703) 683-8500.
Coverings 2010 organizers unveil educational lineup
February 5, 2010
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